Sedum plant named &#39;Orbit Bronze&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of  Sedum  plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by medium size, oblong, serrated leaves that are red brown in summer sun and olive green in spring, burgundy red stems, a high crown count that will grow or fill a container more quickly, an upright, round, tight habit like a topiary, and excellent vigor.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Sedum telephium (Hylotelephium telephium)

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Orbit Bronze’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum and given the cultivar name of ‘Orbit Bronze’. Sedum is in the family Crassulaceae. Sedum ‘Orbit Bronze’ is the result of a planned breeding project to produce short dark leaf Sedum telephium (Hylotelephium telephium) with high crown counts. The new cultivar originated from a cross between Sedum telephium 31-5, as the seed parent, and Sedum telephium 32-6, as the pollen parent. Both parents are proprietary, unpatented plants.

Compared to Sedum telephium 31-5, the new cultivar has a rounder, tighter habit.

Compared to Sedum telephium 32-6, the new cultivar has leaves that are more oblong, and less shiny, and the habit is rounder.

Compared to Sedum ‘Chocolate Drop’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,866), the new variety has a larger, rounder habit with a bigger crown faster, and with leaves that are oblong rather than oval.

This new and unique Sedum is distinguished by:

1. medium size, oblong, serrated leaves that are red brown in summer sun and olive green in spring,

2. burgundy red stems,

3. a high crown count that will grow or fill a container more quickly,

4. an upright, round, tight habit like a topiary, and

5. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of the spring leaves of a 2 year old Sedum ‘Orbit Bronze’ growing outside in April in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a 9 month old in the trial field in September in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows a 3 year old plant in September in the trial field in Canby, Oreg., showing the topiary habit.

FIG. 4 shows the flowers in late July to early August in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Sedum hybrid based on observations of two year old specimens grown in the garden in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in early August Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95° F. in August to 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.         -   Size.—49 cm tall from the ground to the top of the             inflorescence and 45 cm wide.         -   Habit.—erect, clumping.         -   Vigor.—excellent. -   Stem:     -   -   Number.—about 21.         -   Size.—to 35 cm long and 10 mm wide.         -   Internode length.—4 mm to 5 mm long.         -   Color.—Greyed Purple 187A.         -   Texture.—succulent.         -   Surface.—glabrous, glossy. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—simple.         -   Arrangement.—whorls.         -   Shape.—oblong.         -   Apex.—obtuse.         -   Base.—cuneate.         -   Venation.—pinnate.         -   Margins.—serrate.         -   Blade size.—grows to 6 cm long and 3.2 cm wide.         -   Surface.—glabrous.         -   Petiole.—leaves sessile.         -   Leaf color.—spring topside and bottom side closest to Yellow             Green 147C including veins with margin Greyed Purple 187A;             summer topside between Brown 200A and Greyed Purple N186B             with main vein Greyed Purple 186C and leaf base where shaded             Yellow Green 147A tinted Brown 200A; bottom side Yellow             Green 147A tinted Greyed Purple 187A including vein. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—terminal, corymbose.         -   Size of inflorescence.—8 cm to 13 cm wide and 13 cm to 15 cm             tall.         -   Number of flowers.—about 900 per stem (increases with stem             size).         -   Pedicels.—1.5 mm to 2 mm long, 0.8 mm wide, glabrous, Greyed             Purple N187B.         -   Rachis.—12 cm long and 6 mm wide at base, with about 10 side             branches, Greyed Purple 187A.         -   Bloom period.—August through September in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—2 mm wide, 4 mm deep.         -   Description.—ovoid.         -   Color.—White 155C strongly marked with Greyed Purple N187D,             darkest at tip. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—complete, actinomorphic.         -   Shape.—stellate.         -   Size.—3 mm deep and 5 mm wide.         -   Corolla description.—3 mm deep and 5 mm wide, 5 petals, each             lanceolate, 3.5 mm long and 1 mm wide, margins entire, tip             acuminate, glabrous on both sides, topside top half Greyed             Purple 186B, bottom half Greyed Purple 186C, bottom side             White 155C strongly marked with Greyed Purple N187D, darkest             at tip.         -   Calyx description.—1.5 mm deep and 2 mm wide, stellate, 5             lobes, divided to the base, margins entire, tip acute,             glabrous, Greyed Purple N187B on both sides.         -   Stamen description.—10 in number, 3 mm long, filaments 2.5             mm long, White N155A, anthers Yellow Orange 20B tinted Red             Purple 60A, pollen Yellow 12B.         -   Pistil description.—3 mm wide and 2 mm deep, 5 separate             prominent carpels, each 2.5 mm deep and 1 mm wide, style 0.5             mm long, Red Purple 61A overall.         -   Fragrance.—none.         -   Lastingness.—each stem lasts up to a month. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type.—Ventrally dehiscent follicle, erect, attenuate.         -   Fertility.—poor.         -   Color.—Brown 200A. -   Seed: very small, Black 202A -   Disease and pest resistance or tolerance: Pest and disease     resistance are typical for this type of Sedum. No known resistances.     No problems noted in 5 years of growing in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct hybrid of Sedum plant as herein illustrated and described. 